


One day at a time

by Name_Surname



Category: Riverdale - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Give Cheryl a hug, Sad! Cheryl, Teen Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-01-29 20:28:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12638574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Name_Surname/pseuds/Name_Surname
Summary: You are stupid.You are careless.You are a mess.It’s no surprise you ended up like this. You can never do anything right, Cheryl. Isn’t that what Mother always says? She is right too, you know. You’ll never be out of the spotlight now. Thrust back into the public’s judging eye, more people staring at you, talking about you, pitying you. Poor Cheryl Blossom, lost her brother, her father, her house and is now knocked up with some strangers kid.Life is hard for a Blossom on their own.  It’s a good thing Veronica Lodge happens to have a soft spot for this one.





	1. Chapter 1

_You are stupid._  
_You are careless._  
_You are a mess_.

It’s no surprise you ended up like this. You can never do anything right, Cheryl. Isn’t that what Mother always says. She is right too, you know. You’ll never be out of the spotlight now. Thrust back into the public’s judging eye, more people staring at you, talking about you, pitying you.

Poor Cheryl Blossom, lost her brother, her father, her house and is now knocked up with some strangers kid.

No, no, no. They _won’t_ pity you actually. In fact I think that they will be glad that it’s you and not them, don’t you think? You have been awfully mean to an awful lot of people. You shouldn’t be expecting their sympathy, should you?

Oh,don’t cry little Cheryl. It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

  
******

My hands were shaking as I wrapped the stupid test up in toilet paper and shoved it in the sanitary bin. In fact all of me was shaking. I was still sitting on the stupid toilet for fear I’d fall if I stood back up.

Oh God how could I let this happen?

Things were supposed to be getting better. I could feel tears prick behind my eyes and I tried as best I could to keep them at bay.

I **would not** be caught crying alone in the school bathrooms.

 _Oh God, I’m so alone_.

I choked back the sob that threaten to escape and waited until the jitters gave way.

I missed all of first period.

Not that I cared, U.S. History has to be the most boring class I took and I think my 4.0 could handle a missed class or two.

I don’t think anyone even noticed I wasn’t there at all. I knew that when I sat down in my usual seat for Calculus and no one around me asked where I was for first period. I didn’t know whether to grateful or offended. I couldn’t pay attention, my mind was on the stupid test I had thrown away.

I wasn’t scared of anyone finding it, frankly it would be gross if they did and there would be no way of proving it was mine. I was however petrified of what it meant for me.

I couldn’t tell Mommy. She may be covered in burns but she has the power to throw me out of that house. I’m not that naïve of my new found power.

_I’ll have to leave Riverdale. I can’t have people see me. More shame brought down on the tarnished Blossom name._

I didn’t even have anyone to talk to about this. No one to confide in, to ask for advice. I wrapped my arms slowly around myself, nearly like I was offering myself and odd form of comfort.

I wish I had Jason to talk to. He wouldn’t be happy that I got myself into this mess but he wouldn’t judge or shun me. Maybe he’d have some advice. He kind of went through the same thing with Polly, before…

Before this big whole mess happened. Back when the biggest worry I had was what I would be wearing to school that day.

I’m all alone again. Nothing has changed in six months. People act like it has. People don’t even dare bring his name up anymore. It’s this whole big shameful thing and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Who am I supposed to go to? 

I’m tired of everyone with their empty promises.

Maybe if I wasn’t such a bitch I could have someone.

Someone would be nice.

_As if I could ever meet someone?_

“Cheryl?” I heard Mr. Myers ask, pulling me out of my thoughts. He had his eyebrows cocked and a disapproving look on his face. I looked around for a face, a clue to what had been asked. Everyone’s eyes were on me but I couldn’t meet a single face.  
“The answer to question 5?” He repeated.

“I have to go.” I blurted, quickly gathering my books and left the class. I think I heard him protest and try to call me back but everything sounded like it was under water. Everything was distorted, the class photos lining the walls blurred and blended into one. Blue and gold speckling my vision. The only clear thing was the sound of my heart as it pounded in my chest.

I walked quickly out of the school's main doors. They never locked them so it wasn’t much hassle leaving. I couldn’t be there anymore. I didn’t know where I was meant to be. I didn’t know where I belonged.

I ended up at the banks of sweetwater river.

*******

  
It was dark when I got to my car. Everything ached. I left my car in the school parking lot so I had to walk back to the school to get it. My eyes stung too. And everything felt raw and cold. I just wanted everything to be over.

“Cheryl?” I heard someone call out. I gasped quietly to myself and rubbed at my eyes, in the hopes to remove any stray mascara that might be staining my cheeks.

“Are you okay?” It was Betty Cooper and Jughead.

“Why are you too at the school so late?” I asked quickly ignoring their question. I didn’t think I was able to answer it.

“We had vixens practice remember?” Betty asked softly, she was talking to me as though I was an injured deer. **I don’t need your pity, Betty Cooper**. When she saw me now maybe she’ll always see the girl standing on the river. Weak and vulnerable. “It’s okay that you missed, Veronica took over for the practice. We didn’t start the routine or anything like that.”

I eyed Betty warily and nodded. I can’t believe I forgot about the the river vixens. How was I even meant to be a river vixen? Polly Cooper looked ridiculous in the cheer-uniform with her giant round belly. I was **not** going to be that person.

Polly Cooper.

I don’t want to have to hide in a group home like Polly Cooper afraid of what the town might think. Mommy wasn’t mad that Polly was pregnant. Who was she going to be mad at though? Jason was dead and gone when we found out about her. She could hardly scream at a corpse.

“Cheryl?” I heard Jughead call out. I stared him squarely in the face.

“Are you okay, Cheryl?” Betty repeated. “I heard that you skipped some classes today.”

“I have to leave.” I grumbled back to them and got into my car. I don’t need anyone’s pity. I don’t need their fake niceties when I know that they couldn’t care less about me.

_Why should they like you, you are a bitch to them?_

When I got home Mother wasn’t there. I didn’t know whether I was relieved or disappointed. I left my school stuff in the car. I wasn’t in the mood for homework, or school or thinking. I just wanted to sleep for an eternity. I crawled into my oversized bed, in my empty house and fell asleep feeling pretty alone.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T.W for implied/mentioned abortion

My heels clicked as I walked around the linoleum lined floors of Riverdale High School. My hair curled to perfection, lips filled with cherry red. Not a hair out of line. Almost like yesterday didn’t happen.

I saw some eyes on me, not that it surprised me, but I couldn’t help but pull my books a bit tighter against my stomach. I wasn’t showing, far from it really, I’d lost weight that week.

 _Who are you kidding, Cheryl? They’ll all find out_.

When I passed Betty Cooper at her locker she gave me a soft smile. Compassion. She felt bad for me? I scowled at her and kept walking. I’m sure Veronica and Kevin would ask what that was about. I saw their faces scrunch into confusion at my reaction to Betty.

_I’m sure she has already told them what a train wreck you were last night._

I lifted my chin that little bit higher and carried on down the hall.

I didn’t sleep much last night. I don’t think I really tried. I spent a fair bit of time researching where I could get the _procedure_ done. Lucky for me State law says that I need a parent's permission to get this mess _taken care of._

Mother won’t be happy to find out. I think she’d agree with me about my plan. It’d bring the least amount of attention to us. No more shame. It’d be over quick and easy. Only she and I knowing what could have been.

Yet, I couldn’t tell her. She’d explode with rage, kick me out. Shout about the shame I’d brought down on her **again**. How I was a mess, how her life was a mess, how I make her life a mess. Leave me on my own, truly on my own.

I could leave Riverdale. Take my savings and move out of state. Give _it_ up to a family that wants _it_ and get some boring 9 to 5 job. My savings wouldn’t get me far. Mommy and daddy made it very clear to both Jason and I when we were growing up that we’d get the inheritance when they were both in the ground. Jason would get the business and I’d get the estate.

_You burnt that though didn’t you? And what business is left?_

I could probably afford a small apartment. Big enough for just me. I could do night school. Get a degree in something I cared about not what looked best.

_You’d still be all alone though, wouldn’t you ma chérie?_

“Is this seat free?” I heard Betty ask. I rolled my eyes and lifted my bag off it. I hate that we don’t have assigned seats in history. I don’t like that this Cooper girl feels like she can invade my privacy whenever she so chooses.

Betty gave a small smile as a way of saying thank you.

“How are you?” Betty asked casually. I eyed her up.

“Cut the small talk Betty. Whatever you think you saw last night wasn’t real. I just wasn’t feeling great and went back to get my car. I didn’t have time to amuse you or your lunatic boyfriend with my goingson!” I growled lowly as the teacher walked in.

Betty lifted her bag and moved to the seat next to Midge. I smirked to myself before placing my bag up on the chair again.

_See she can’t even stand to be around you. She knows how truly repulsive you are. No one really wants to be around you._

The teacher was rambling on about something but it felt as though there was cotton in my ears. All his words seemed distorted and low. I sighed and stared into space.

“Everyone work with the person beside you to complete this project. It’s due in two weeks time and it’s expected to reflect 4 hours work from both members”

I looked to my side at the empty chair and sighed. Maybe getting rid of Betty wasn’t the best idea. I watched as Mr. Myers gave a head count of the room and realized there was an odd number. “Oh Cheryl you don’t have a partner.” He said coming to the realization.

“She can work with us.” Veronica announced with a raised hand. I turned around to where her and Archie sat at the back of the class.

**Great I’d be a third wheel.**

“Wonderful, thank you Veronica. Is that okay with you Cheryl?” I sighed and gave a nod and a fake smile. I picked up my bag and moved to the back of the class beside Veronica and Archie.

They were sickeningly sweet. Veronica was resting her head on his forearm her arms wrapped around his. I wanted to get sick. “So Cheryl do you have any ideas about what to do for this project?” Archie asked.

“You tell me what you’re thinking. It’s a group project after all.” I supplied instead of admitting I have no clue what this project entails.

“I think we should do it on the Women’s Suffrage movement.” Veronica suggested with an eager smile. Archie gave a dopey nod.

Kill me **now**.

I gave a fake smile and played along, half listening as they planned out this project for us.

I probably would have disappointed these women. Who fought so hard not to be pawns of men, to be able to vote and carry out what they wanted to do. Now I’m just a slut. A stupid idiot who can’t keep her legs closed. A fuck up.

I remember in middle school Ginger mentioned to me casually that at least one twin is always an accident. I was that accident. A fuck up from birth. I was the runner up really. The second in command in case something happened to the golden child. And something did. And now everything is a mess. And I don’t have a home anymore. And my mother is getting crueler and crueler. And I know deep down that this is all my fault. I could have pleaded with Jason not to leave Riverdale. I could have realized sooner what a cruel and ugly man my father was. I could have done something.

I’m messing up all the time.

I can’t do anything right. I can’t let this thing fester and grow inside of me. I can’t have a reminder of what an idiot I am grow inside my abdomen. I can’t face another cold shoulder or rude remark or angry outburst.

I could travel over state lines this weekend. I don’t need parental permission in New York. I can go and have the _procedure_ done there. Mother would never have to know. No one would have to know. Just me.

_Always you. It’s always going to be just you._

“You okay Cheryl, you’re zoning out a bit there?” Veronica asked. She gave a light hearted giggle to show that she wasn’t trying to be invasive.

“Actually I just remembered that I’ve to take care of some of fathers old business relations over the weekend. It’s in New York and mother can’t go. I was just wondering if you’d come too. I just can’t stand to be alone.” Veronica stared at me agape. “Don’t worry it’s the maple syrup kind of business.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This piece in no way encourages or glorifies teen pregnancies. Most pregnancies are hard and they are even harder without a support network around you.


End file.
